Comments on: Professionalism and attitudes toward change

By: anyone can catalog. « From the catalogs of babes

anyone can catalog. « From the catalogs of babes — Fri, 21 May 2010 23:43:51 +0000

[...] And it’s time catalogers and librarians took this professionalism by the horns, or we risk losing it altogether. Professional catalogers aren’t the ones who use AACR2r the best or can list subject headings at [...]

By: Academic Librarian: August 2009 Archives

Academic Librarian: August 2009 Archives — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:20:00 +0000

[...] literature and consider another blog post I read today on professionalization at Rory Litwin’s Library Juice. (Perhaps the confluence of events inspired my own thinking.) In that post, Litwin cites an article [...]

By: laura

laura — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:41:24 +0000

I’m not talking about personal qualities, or I’m not sure what you mean by that. I am saying that I know non-degreed librarians who exhibit all the characteristics listed by Roberts and Donahue. Perhaps, as you say, your full paper will clarify what you mean.

By: karen w

karen w — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:35:31 +0000

ok thanks-just when read it, it could mean alot of things and that’s ok too but was just wondering…this is clearer & thank you

Karen W

By: Rory Litwin

Rory Litwin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:59:16 +0000

Karen, clarified it in the text. I do see that that could have been clearer now.

By: Rory Litwin

Rory Litwin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:13:27 +0000

I thought it was clear enough – environment as in “environmental scan” – economic, social, political, cultural trends that affect the profession, the outside conditions that we deal with.

By: karen w

karen w — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:06:28 +0000

hi Rory, sounds like a good project, but what do you mean above by “environment”
this among many things, leaves me hanging.

can you pls add a bit more on this?

sorry I’ll miss your talk tomorrow in Philly but I’ll look forward to the web recap –Karen W

“Just a brief note on a topic I will return to later…

I find that librarians think of change in one of two ways:

Change is happening to the profession;
or

Change is happening in the **environment** and the profession determines how it will change in response.
These two ways of thinking about change don’t reflect an attitude of embracing it or resisting it, but rather an attitude of greater or lesser professionalism. Embracing or resisting change is something else.

By: Rory Litwin

Rory Litwin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:08:26 +0000

What I’m saying will make more sense when you read the paper…

By: Rory Litwin

Rory Litwin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:55:58 +0000

That’s true, but it’s not personal qualities that make someone a member of a profession.

By: laura

laura — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:39:46 +0000

Hmm. While I largely agree with your final assessment, I have a hard time with excluding all paraprofessionals from “the profession.” I’ve known a number of non-degreed library folk who are extremely interested in, informed about, and dedicated to the ideals of the profession and, sadly, some degreed librarians who do not seem to care much at all.